


Going Home Alone

by Amedia



Category: Tin Man (2007)
Genre: F/M, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 11:12:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18809836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amedia/pseuds/Amedia
Summary: Zero misses some of the perks he used to enjoy.





	Going Home Alone

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by one of theemdash’s responses to my request for ficlet prompts, which came in the form of Wizard Rock lyrics by The Brothers Black: "Yeah, I may look cool to see/ But everybody’s scared of me/ And I’m going home alone again." Also drawing on the slash fanon that everyone in the O.Z. is a bit queer.

Zero had been such a good and faithful subordinate to Lonot. Trustworthy. Faithful. He wasn't scheming for Lonot's job or trying to trip him up. Why bother? Lonot was a fool. He would have ended his career years ago, fighting for a lost cause--the Queen--if Zero hadn't persuaded him to switch sides and back the Sorceress instead. Lonot, he was sure, was going to trip himself up sooner or later, and then Zero could simply step innocently into the space Lonot had left, without a trace of blame.

Being Lonot's second had had its advantages. Zero did most of the day-to-day work of running the Longcoats. Enlisted men who wanted a particular day off or an easier shift for a week or so knew exactly how to get it. All Zero had to do was make a subtle gesture at the end of the day and take his pick of volunteers. Whichever one he chose would gladly accompany him back to his quarters and enthusiastically provide whatever he was in the mood for, be it abject subservience or rough trade.

Of course, promotion had its advantages, too. He was able to drop the mask of faithful subordinate and take charge as he had always planned. His ruthless cunning pleased the Sorceress, and he knew other ways to please her as well, on those rare occasions when she summoned him to her bed.

But it didn't fill the vacuum he felt when he inspected the men before dismissal at the end of the day. No one looked up hoping to be chosen, and he was unwilling to risk a mumbled excuse or worse, a half-hearted obedience motivated only by fear.

He hadn't expected success to be quite so hollow.


End file.
